Greeting the kuffaar on Christmas and other religious holidays of theirs is haraam, by consensus, as Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah: "Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for their religion fall into this error; they do not realize the offensiveness of their actions. Whoever congratulates a person for his disobedience or bid’ah or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah."

Congratulating the kuffaar on their religious festivals is haraam to the extent described by Ibn al-Qayyim because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. But the Muslim should not aceept the rituals of kufr or congratulate anyone else for them, because Allaah does not accept any of that at all, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):"If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. . ."
[al-Zumar 39:7]

". . . This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion . . ."
[al-Maa’idah 5:3]

So congratulating them is forbidden, whether they are one’s colleagues at work or otherwise.

If they greet us on the occasion of their festivals, we should not respond, because these are not our festivals, and because they are not festivals which are acceptable to Allaah. These festivals are innovations in their religions, and even those which may have been prescribed formerly have been abrogated by the religion of Islaam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the whole of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers."
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

It is haraam for a Muslim to accept invitations on such occasions, because this is worse than congratulating them as it implies taking part in their celebrations.

Similarly, Muslims are forbidden to imitate the kuffaar by having parties on such occasions, or exchanging gifts, or giving out sweets or food, or taking time off work, etc., because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah said in his book Iqtidaa’ al-siraat al-mustaqeem mukhaalifat ashaab al-jaheem: "Imitating them in some of their festivals implies that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the hope that they may have the opportunity to humiliate and mislead the weak."

Whoever does anything of this sort is a sinner, whether he does it out of politeness or to be friendly, or because he is too shy to refuse, or for whatever other reason, because this is hypocrisy in Islaam, and because it makes the kuffaar feel proud of their religion.

Allaah is the One Whom we ask to make the Muslims feel proud of their religion, to help them adhere steadfastly to it, and to make them victorious over their enemies, for He is the Strong and Omnipotent.

"كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ"
"Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in God. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors."

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem
In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Participating in Christmas with the Kuffaar by Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz

Question:
Our brother says: He notices that some of the Muslims participate along with the Christians in the Festival of the Birth, or Christmas as they call it; he hopes for some guidance regarding that.

Answer:
It is not permissible for the Muslim male or female to participate with the Christians, the Jews, or other than them from the disbelievers in their holidays. Rather, it is obligatory to abandon that. This is because:

مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ

“He who imitates a people is from them.”

And the Messenger ﷺ warned us against imitating them and adorning ourselves with their mannerisms. So it is upon the believing male and female to beware of that, and not to aid in the celebration of these holidays with anything. This is because they are holidays which oppose the Legislation of Allaah and the enemies of Allaah establish them. So it is not permissible to participate in them nor to cooperate with its people or to assist them with anything; not with (giving them) tea, coffee, or anything at all; such as utensils, and the likes. Also, Allaah the Glorified says:

"Help you one another in Al­-Birr and At­-Taqwaa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression." (Al-Ma’idah 5:2)

So participating with the disbelievers in their holidays is a type of helping them upon sin and transgression. Hence, it is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female to abandon that and it is not befitting for the one who has intellect to be deceived by the people in their actions. It is obligatory to ponder over the legislation of Al-Islaam and that which is has brought and to adhere to the command of Allaah and His Messenger, and not to look towards the affairs of the people. For most of the creation has no concern for the Legislation of Allaah. As Allaah the Mighty and Majestic has said:

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ"And if you obey most of those on earth, they will mislead you far away from Allaah’s Path." (Al-An’am 6:116)

He, Glorified be He, has said:

وَمَا أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

"And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly." (Yusuf 12:103)

So the holidays which oppose the Legislation, then it is not permissible to accept them, even if the people are doing it. For the believer weighs his actions and statements, and the actions and statements of the people, by the Book and the Sunnah; the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ. That which coincides with them or one of them, then it is accepted, even if the people have abandoned it. That which opposes them or one of them, then it is rejected, even if the people do it. And may Allaah grant all Tawfeeq and guidance.

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ"Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do."16:97